Emergencies

Karine Meaux, head of Fondation de France’s Emergency Response division, provides an update on the current situation in Mayotte and the organisation’s ongoing priorities in the severely affected region.

On 14 December, a cyclone of exceptional magnitude devastated the archipelago of Mayotte. Already engaged in disaster preparedness efforts on the island, Fondation de France immediately mobilised, reaching out to its nonprofit partners in the Indian Ocean region to launch the first emergency relief actions. The call for donations raised €42 million.

A year and a half after the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco on September 8^th, 2023, killing more than 3,000 people and leaving thousands injured and homeless, Fondation de France remains mobilised on the ground to meet the needs of the population. It has already allocated over €5.1 million to 44 initiatives in the affected area. Here is a look back at the last 18 months of support aimed at responding as effectively as possible to evolving needs.

Two months after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido over the Mayotte archipelago on 14 December, the humanitarian situation remains critical, and the needs are immense. Fondation de France has already allocated €4.4 million to support 42 initiatives led by local and national organisations to assist affected communities.

Three years ago, Fondation de France launched a campaign supporting people in Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries. To assist those most in need and help lay the groundwork for rebuilding the country, Fondation de France has strengthened its collaboration with about 15 local partners working on the ground. So far, 16.5 million euros have been allocated to 180 relief and recovery initiatives.

Southern Turkey and northern Syria were hit by two devastating earthquakes on 6 February 2023, killing more than 50,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands injured and homeless. Two years after the disaster, Fondation de France remains fully mobilised to meet the needs of the people affected, which are still considerable. €9 million has already been earmarked for 88 initiatives in the affected areas.

On 14 December 2024, Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc on the French archipelago of Mayotte, a region already facing significant socio-economic challenges. In response, Fondation de France quickly launched a nationwide appeal for donations, raising an extraordinary €40 million. Thanks to this remarkable solidarity, the foundation has already supported 18 local associations to address the immediate needs of the affected populations.

As the war in Ukraine passes the thousand-day mark, Fondation de France continues to assist Ukrainians and refugees, as it has for the past two and a half years. From November 7 to 12, Karine Meaux, Head of Emergencies at Fondation de France, traveled to Ukraine, Slovakia and Moldova to review ongoing projects with nonprofit partners, implement winter measures, and set future priorities.

More than two years after Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Fondation de France is still very much involved in helping the people affected by the conflict. It has adjusted its strategic approach in the face of this war of attrition.

To help the people who are being displaced towards Armenia, after a military offensive launched by Azerbaijan against the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave last September, Fondation de France made a call for funds in partnership with TV channel France Télévisions on October 3. Thanks to the generosity of more than 3,800 donors (individuals, companies and donor-advised funds), €581,000 has been raised to support nonprofits to address a range of needs, where it matters.